Coin operated mailing machine



Aug. 22,1939.

L. A. THATCHER COIN OPERATED MAILING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1937 19 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

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1939- A. THATCHER 2,170,270

COIN OPERATED MAILING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1937 19 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 5 702249 ATTORNEYI 1939- L. A. THATCHER I 2,170,270

COIN OPERATED MAILING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1937 19 Sheets-Sheet 3 BY 5 M TE 3 ATTORNEY.

Aug. 22, 1939. L, A, THATHER 2,170,270

COIN OPERATED MAILING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1957 19 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEY.

Aug. 22, 1939.

L. A. THATCHER COIN OPERATED MAILING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1937 19 Sheets-She et 5 INVENTOR.

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Aug. 22, 1939.

L; A. THATCHER COIN OPERATED MAILING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1957 19 Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTORNEY.

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L. A. THATCHER 2,170,270 COIN OPERATED MAILING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1957 19 Sheets-Sheet 9 Aug. 22, 1939.

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L. A. THATCHER 2,170,270

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COIN OPERATED MAILING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1937 19 Sheets-Sheet l3 A TTORNEY,

L. A. THATCHER COIN OPERATED MAILING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1937 19 Sheets-Sheet l5 Aug. 22, 1939. L A, THATCHER 2,170,270

COIN OPERATED MAILING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 193'? 19 Shets-Sheet 1e Aug. 22,, 1939 L. A. THATCHEFZ ZFNEWJ COIN OPERATED MAILING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1937 19 Sheets-Sheet 17 TWINE i I I INVEN TOR. lax/q 4 flak-A0 A TTORNEY.

Aug. 22, 193930 A. THATCHEFZ COIN OPERATED MAILING MACHINE 2, 1937 19 Sheets-Sheet 18 Filed Dec.

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COIN OPERATED MAILING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1957 19 Sheets-Sheet l9 jTTORN EY Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES 2,170,270 com OPERATED MAILING MACHINE Linden A. Thatcher,

Coseob, Conn., assignor to Pitney-Bowes Postage Meter Company, Stamford,

Conn, a corporation of Delaware Application December 2, 1937, Serial No. 177.671

23 Claims. This invention relates to a coin operated mailing machine of a type which prints a value,

stamp impression upon the; face of an envelope of a letter or like mail-matter in lieu of a postage stamp and which will register the value of said stamp impression in a registering device within the machine.

In the machine of this invention, one or more coins of a plurality of denominations are adapted to be inserted in the machine in accordance with the value of the stamp impression it is desired to have imprinted upon the mail-matter. Then, after performing a manual operation to pre-set the machine for its cycle of operation, a piece of mail matter, which will be hereinafter referred to as a letter, is inserted in the machine. The letter, upon insertion, will engage a trip device which will start the machine cycle of operation. Said machine operation includes the control or setting of value type devices in accordance with the value of the coins inserted, the setting of the said value in a registering device, the conveying of the letter to a printing position, the printing of the stamp impression upon the letter, the depositing of the letter within a receptacle inside the machine casing, and the returning of the value printing type to a zero position after printing is eflected.

It is one object of this invention to provide in a coin operated mailing machine, means whereby the machine cycle of operation is started by the act of inserting a letter in the machine.

It is another object to provide a manipulative means for pre-setting the machine for a cycle of operation before a letter tripping operation can be effected and to preven't'the moving of said manipulative means unless'a'coin has been inserted in the machine.

Another object is to provide means for receiv- 4 ing the total number of coins requiredfon-the desired value of stamp impression it is desired to print, and to-provide for the-operationoneach coin of the group afterthe total number of coins have been deposited.

Another object. is to provide an initial rest position for the coins behind a transparent member for the purpose of checking the accuracy of the coins inserted and further, jto provide for the moving of thecoinsfrom the visible position to an operating position where each-coin will func-- tion to control the setting of the value thereof in the printing and registering devices.

' Another object is to provide :i'or thecontinuous operation of the machine to complete both "the coin controlled setting of the value printing members and the printing operation after the tripping of the machine is eflected.

Another object is to provide means for conveying the letter to a printing position after a tripping operation is efiected.

Another object is to provide a removable meter unit containing the registering and printing mechanism, and devices for preventing the insertion of further coins in the machine after a predetermined low value has been reached. Another object is to provide a shutter to normally obstruct the path of the letter, and control devices operable to free said shutter during the pre-setting movement of the manipulative member.

Another object is to provide a control for the setting of the value type members of the printing device by means of driven variable toothed gear members and pinion members, the latter being movable into the path of said variable gear members under the control of the coins.

Other objects include the preventing of further manipulation of the manipulative member after the tripping of the machine is effected; provision of means for limiting the number of coins of any one denomination; provision of means for returning coins before the manipulative means is actuated for a pre-setting'operation; controls for preventing the false operation of the machine, letter guides and controls associated with the tripping device, and improvements in com operated machines.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed maybe made within the scope of what is claimed withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. I

-A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein?- Fig. l is a perspective view'of the machinelp'oking at the outer casing and showing the mail receptacle in an-open position in dot dash line;

:Fig. 2.is airont elevational view taken inside of the front panelof the casing showing gener-, ally the positions of the coin-receptacle, the coindetectors and coin chutes, and furtherincluding the metei unit and mechanism for actuating saidmeter from thecoin actuated means;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view looking in the 

